engsteom



QNo Model.) 2 Sheets-SheetL A. H. ENGSTRM. APPARATUS FOR RBGBNERTING EXHAUST STEAM No. 556,883. Patented Mar. 24,1896.

No Model.) n 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. H. ENGSTROM.

APPARATUS'FOR RBGENERATING EXHAUST STEAM. No. 556,883. Patented Mar. 24,1896.

535/5 .MM W

moa/Wag@ UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

AXEL II. ENGSTRM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO GEORGE S. GANDY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING EXHAUST-STEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,883, dated March 24, 1896.

Application filed November 30, 1895. ySerial No. 570,590. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, AXEL H. ENGSTEM, a subject of the King of Sweden and Norway, but now residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Regulator-Valves for Regenerative and other Steam Systems, of Which the follou'ingis a specification.

My invention has relation to an automatic regulator-valve for use in a system for the revivification of exhaust-steam in which the exhaust is fed to a regenerator and there heated, compressed, and mixed with live steam and finally discharged with required increase both in pressure and temperature for reutilization in an engine or other steam apparatus from which the exhaust Was originally taken, and in such connection this invention has particular relation to the construction and arrangement of a valve controlling the inlet of either the live steam or live and exhaust steam into the regenerator, which valve is itself automatically operated either by differences in pressure between the live and regenerated steam or exhaust and reviviiied exhaust or directly by variations in pressure in the reviviiied exhaust caused by increased or decreased consumption thereof.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to provide a valve of simple construction adapted to automatically control the admission of live and live and exhaust steam into a regenerator, which valve is operated by differences in pressure between the live and regenerated steam or exhaust and regenerated steam or operated directly by the variations in pressure in the discharge from the regenerator; second, to provide in such a regulator-valve a spindle having a piston Working in a cylinder by the ditterencesof pressure present-ed to the respective ends of the piston of said cylinder, a spring, weight or equivalent device for counterpoising the same, an oil-reservoir under steam-pressure from the discharge-pipe of the regenerator, and an inlet-pipe from the oil-reservoir to the cylinder adapted to convey oil thereto to move the valve-spindle against the influence of its spring, Weight or equivalent device,

and, third, to provide in such a regulatorvalve a spindle having a piston Working in a cylinder supplied with oil onone side of the same from a reservoir controlled by the pressure of steam in the discharge from the regenerator, the cylinder being supplied on the other side of its piston with oil from a reservoir controlled by the pressure of steam in the exhaust-inlet to the regenerator.

My invention, stated in general terms, consists of a regulator-valve constructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in Which- Figure l is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of a regenerator and a regulator-valve embodying features of my invention and illustrating means for controlling the same from the discharge-pipe of the regenerator; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a balanced regulator-valve controlling the live-steam inlet of the regenerator and illustrating the means for controlling the saine through differences in pressure between the steam in the discharge from the regenerator and the steam in the exhaustinlet.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a regenerator of the type shown, described and claimed in an application for a patent iiled by me under date of November 2T, 1895, and serially numbered 570,298.

Briefly stated, the regenerator consists of a casing or shell a, having an inlet c for exhaust-steam conveyed from the cylinders of the engine by means of a pipe a2. The casing a. has also an inlet a3 connected by a pipe a* with a source of live or high-pressure steam supply and an outlet a5, terminating in a pipe a6 leading back to the engine cylinders. lVithin the casing a the live steam is forced through a nozzle h, the exhaust-steam encircling said nozzle and also entering the tubular stem d traversing the nozzle. The stem d is carried by a spindle d', which, instead of being advanced or retracted in the casing o. by means of a hand-Wheel, as shown and de- IOO scribed in said application, is secured to a piston e working in a cylinder f and .normally maintained by a spring g coiled around that portion of the spindle d extending outside the cylinder f and to the right thereof. One end of this spring g rests under a nut (Z2 secured on the end of the spindle d and the other end resting against the head f of the cylinder f. Within the casing a is formed, first, a heating-chamber in which the nozzle b extends; second, a tapered mixing-chamber with a contracted outlet in which live and exhaust steam are mixed, and, third, an expanding bulbous chamber in which the mixed steam is compressed. The outlet of steam from the nozzle l) into the mixing-chamber is contracted and expanded by the movement of the stem-d in said nozzle b. The outlet of this nozzle l) is of expanding annular form by reason of the formation of an external shoulder b at the outlet end of the stem d and the internal tapered wall of said nozzle-outlet. The outlet of exhaust from the stem d is of contracted expanding form by reason of an internal taper on the end of t-he stem d and at the tapered reducing-piece 7L, held in the casing a by means of the ribs h and projecting inward in the stem d. Then the spindie d and stem d are moved inward toward the reducing-piece h, the size of the exhaustoutlet from the stem d is reduced, and at the same time this movement of the stem d and spindle d correspondingly decreases the size of the outlet of live steam from the nozzle b. Again, a reverse movement of the spindle CZ and stem d will increase the exhaust-outlet from the stem d and the live-steam outlet from the nozzle b.

In Fig. l is shown means whereby the size of the outlets for live and exhaust steam may be automatically regulated by variations in pressure in the discharge-pipe a6 from which the .engines are supplied with revivified exhaust. To accomplish this the cylinder f, aboveor tothe right of the piston or head e,

is filled with oil or other suitable iuid substance conveyed by the pipe f2 from a reservoir f2 held under pressure of steam from the discharge-pipe a by means of the branch pipe The oil in the cylinder f operates to depress the piston e to the left against the tension of the spring g. It is manifest, therefore, that should the pressure of steam in the pipe d become too great, as in case of less supply to the engine, the oil in the reservoir f3 is conveyed through the pipe f2 into the cylinder f and forces the piston cto the left. rlhe spindle d and stem Z are thus shifted to the left, causing thereby a reduction in the outlet for both exhaust in the stem d and live steam in the nozzle Z). The consequence of this reduction will be a lessening in pressure in the pipe a equivalent to the reduced amount of steam requiredby the engines. Again, if the pressure in the pipe as is too small the oil in the cylinder f is forced by the piston c and its spring g into the reservoir f3, the movement of the pistonshiftingthe spindle d and stem (l yto the right, thus increasing both exhaust and live steam outlets and hence increasing in desired ratio the pressure in the pipe a6.

In Fig. 2 is applied the same principle for controlling automatically the live-steam pipe a1 through diiferences in pressure existing in the revivified exhaust-pipe d and the exhaustpipe a2. In this instance the outlet of the pipe a4 is controlled by a balanced valve if. the stem CX21 of which traverses a cylinder ,T21 and is provided with a piston or head @21, working therein` The valve k and its spindle CX21 are normalhY elevated by means of the spring Q21, one end of which bear against the upper head f22 or' the cylinder f 21, and the other end rests against a nut (Z22 on the end of thestem CX21. The space in the cylinder f21 belowthe piston 621 is filled with oil leading from a reservoir f22 through a pipe f21. The reservoir f 23 is under the same pressure of steam as the pipe c1?, being connected therewith by the pipe f25. The-space in the cylinder f21 above the-piston c21 is filled with oil leading from the reservoir fm, which is under the same steam-pressure as is the inlet-pipe a2 1for the exhaust-steam to the regenerator.

IVhen now the pressure of steam in the pipe a increases or the pressure in the pipe d" decreases, the piston @.21 and stem e121 will be raised by the influence of the spring g21, because oil will be forced from the reservoir ,T23 to the cylinder f21 below thepiston e21, and the outlet from the live-steampipe a4 will be correspondingly decreased. 7When the pressure of steam in the pipe a decreases or the pressure in the pipe c2 increases, the piston @21 is depressed to further open the valve 7s, because oil is forced above the piston @21 from the reservoir fm, while oil below the piston escapes into the reservoir f22.

Instead of the spring g or g21it is obvious that a weight n may be used to operate the spindle d' or CX21. In such case the weight should be arranged as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The form of automatic valvershown in Fig. 2 is particularly adapted for use in the system for the regeneration of exhaust-steam. such as described in my application for a patent filed November 26, 1395, and serially numbered 570,189, when located on the pipe connecting the primary or high-pressure boiler and the secondary boiler in which the regenerated exhaust is stored, and when so used the reservoir-f23 is under pressure of steam from the primary boiler and the reservoir 'nt is under the same pressure of steam as that of the secondary boiler. It necessarily follows, therefore, that a constant and uniform difference of pressure will be maintained between the two boilers, for if the pressure in the secondary boiler increases to too great an extent the valve will be shut down, and if the pressure decreases inthe secondary boiler the valve. will be opened, thus permitting a TOO IIO

IZO

decreased cr increased flow of live steam into the secondary boiler from the primary boiler.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An automatic regulator-valve controlling a pipe or other source of steam supply, said valve being held under pressure of steam from another source of steam supply oi" different pressure from the source controlled by the valve and said valve controlled by means, substantially as described, by variations in pressure in said second source of supply, substantially as and for the purposes described. 2. An automatic regulating-valve provided with a piston and located on a pipe or similar source of steam supply, the piston being` under pressure of steam from another source of supply and controlled by means, substantially as described, by variations of pressure in the second source of supply, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. ln a system for the regeneration of exhaust-steam, a regenerator, a live-steam supply, an exhaust-steam supply to said regenerator, a discharge from said regenerator for the combined live and exhaust steam and an automatic valve regulating the admission of live and exhaust steam to said regeneratcr and controlled by means, substantially as described, by variations in pressure of the discharge-steam, substantially as and for the purposes described.

al.. In a system for the regeneration of eX- haust-steam, a regenerator, a live-steam supply, an exhaust-steam supply to said regenerator, a discharge from said regenerator for the combined live and exhaust steam, and a valve automatically regulating the live-steam supply to said ref-generator through variations in pressure between the discharge from and exhaust supply to said regenerator, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. An automatic regulator-valve located on a source of steamzsupply and provided with a spindle, a head or piston carried by said spiridle, a cylinder traversed by said piston, an oilreservoir normally held under varying pressure of steam from another source of steam supply and adapted to feed oil to the cylinder above the piston and means adapted to move said piston and spindle in a direction contrary to the force exerted by the oil uponvsaid piston, substantially as and for the purposes described.

G. An automatic regulator-valve located on a source of steam supply and provided with a spindle, a head or piston carried by said spindie, a cylinder traversed by said piston, an oilreservoir normally held under varying pressure of steam from another source of steam supply and adapted to feed oil to the cylinder above the piston and countcrpoising or tension means connected with the spindle of said piston, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. An automatic regulator-valve provided with a spindle, a head or piston carried by said spindle, a cylinder traversed by said piston, an oil-reservoir under one pressure of steam and adapted to feed oil to the cylinder above the piston, a second oil-reservoir under a different pressure of steam and adapted to feed oil to the cylinder below the piston, and a spring auxiliary in its action to the press- 7 5 ure of oil below the piston, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. An automatic regulator-valve provided with a spindle having a head or piston, a cylinder traversed by said piston, means whereby a iiuid substance under one pressure of steam is adapted to be fed to the cylinder on one side of said piston and a similar substance undera different pressure of steam is adapted to be fed to the cylinder on the other side of said piston, and means for counterpoising or holding under required tension said spindle during action of the same within said cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. In a system for the regeneration of exhaust-steam, an automatic regulator-valve located on a pipe delivering live steam to a regenerator, said valve being controlled by variations inV pressure of steam conducted from two sources of supply of different pressures to said valve, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. In a system for the regeneration of eX- haust-steam, an automatic regulator-valve lo- I oo cated on a pipe connecting a boiler, wherein live or high-pressure steam is generated and a secondary or storage boiler for regenerated steam, said valve being controlled by variations in pressure of steam conducted from two 1o 5 sources of supply of different pressures to said valve, substantially as and for the purposes described. Y

11. In a system for the regeneration of eX- haust-steam, an automatic regulator-valve lor 1 o cated on a pipe connecting a boiler, wherein live or high-pressure steam is generated and a secondary or storage boiler for regenerated steam, said valve being controlled by variations in pressure of steam conducted from the I i 5 primary and secondary boiler to said valve, substantially as and for the purposes described.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscrib- I 2o ing witnesses.

AXEL l-I. ENGSTRM.

lVitnesses J. WALTER DoUGLAss, THOMAS M. SMITH. 

